Hawthorne mayor will stand trial in theft case

December 2, 2010 12:00:00 AM PST

HAWTHORNE, Calif. --

The mayor of Hawthorne was ordered Thursday to stand trial on charges of stealing a commercial mixer from the Hawthorne School District, where he worked as a warehouse operations manager. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Edmund Clarke found sufficient evidence to require Larry Guidi to proceed to trial on one count each of commercial burglary and grand theft, according to Deputy District Attorney Ed Miller.

Guidi is accused of stealing a food mixer and a cart last March from a school district warehouse, where the crime was captured on surveillance video.

Prosecutors said Guidi stole the machinery because he needed more dough for his home pizza oven.

Guidi, who resigned from his job with the school district, is due back at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse on Dec. 16 for arraignment.